Homespun Honolulu

I saw this post about a Top 5 Group Writing Project on ProBlogger. I thought about it and was about to shrug it off as another moment missed for us unworthies. I mean, Darren Rowse is a highly-respected blog expert, people who read his site are experts too. “Top 5 what?!? I’m new to this. What could I do? Forget it.” I kept thinking about it and suddenly a light came on. There are at least five things that this very venue has brought to the surface for me. What are the Top 5 things that blogging has brought to me? What things have been brought to the forefront? Wait a minute, I wanna talk about this!

First of all… the topic. Oh my God, the topic! I am learning new things about Honolulu, something I love, all the time. I’m being educated because I’m sharing. I’m looking and verifying so that I can accurately tell you guys things. I’m in love with my blog and love it a little more each time it brings me new knowledge. There is so much to share. So many things are historically connected! Each topic leads to another of equal or greater value and/or fascination. Then, all of a sudden someone leaves a comment letting you know that they understand your pain or share in your wonder or excitement — what could be better or more rewarding than that? Of course if this continues, I’ll be a Hawaiian historian by the time I’m done!

Secondly, it’s nice to think that I’ve finally found a REAL and meaningful use for my college degree, dammit! English is my first language and it was my major. But, like any other language, you have to use it or you lose it! My writing skills are not what they used to be. My proper sentence structure is as rusty as the structure of an old set of swings left out in the rain! Blogging gives me an opportunity to polish it up and shake the dust off a little. Creative writing was always my favorite. It’s my thoughts, my opinions, what I consider important, and nobody can say that it’s wrong or not acceptable. Society doesn’t rule here. I do! It’s about time!

Camaraderie and community would have to be number three! There are people who have the same thoughts that I do. They think like me. They like what I like. They’re crazy… just like me! This is great! Through these people, I see a little of myself. Some of them are even people I might call friends. I may not know what they look like or where they are, but there is a bond of sorts. The Internet has always been a place to learn and share for me, but, this is different. It’s a whole different world. Bloggers make up a society within the bigger global scheme.

The wealth of knowledge would be the fourth thing on my list. There was a time when people would always say that anything you wanted to know about was on the Internet. Just look it up! Now, for any topic you can think of, there’s someone blogging about it! This is different. In fact blogging was completely foreign to me. I had to quickly learn a whole new vocabulary! Digg? Techno-what? Word Press is a software? I think there’s a little bit of culture shock to be had here.

Finally, there’s the fifth one that other might have put first — the possibility of a second source of income! That’s always a good thing. We all need to make money, right? Okay, so it takes time. I have no income to claim yet, but, the possibility is there. How could a second job (so to speak) be better than this?!? Can I just get a little bit of extra cash? In time.

Quintessential. Cute word. What does it really mean, aside from the play on words? Typical, representative, archetypical — these are all synonyms. Well, it seems to me that talking about stuff, sharing things, learning from others, isn’t that human nature? Isn’t that typical and representative of human behavior? Yep. Blogging IS quintessential! I have decided that it most definitely belongs under the category of Arts and Culture so that’s where I have put this post.

When I saw the post about this project on Problogger, I didn’t know what to think. It didn’t take me long to figure out that I DO have something to say. I DO have something to share. This blogger is four months old and blogging has already impacted her to this extent. Now if I can just get the chains on my old swing set to shine again and stop squeaking, we’ll be in business! Thanks, Darren.